Double chicken wrap theft
incidents deemed ‘bizarre’

Court

Staff Reporter

Published:17:23Tuesday 06 June 2017

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The behaviour of a Larne man who stole chicken wraps from a shop in Derry on two separate dates last year, has been described as “bizarre,” by District Judge Barney McElholm when he appeared at the Bishop Street Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

The court heard how 47-years-old Keith Timothy Shanahan, whose address was given as the Coast Road, in Larne, stole the savoury items, both of which were worth £5.97, from the same NISA Store on the Buncrana Road on two dates, May 21 and June 11 last year.

A defence solicitor told the court how his client was in “a good job” and that CCTV footage of the incidents had clearly picked up Shanahan going into the store and stealing the items.

The solicitor told the court that there had been no sophistication whatsoever to Shanahan’s shoplifting.

District Judge Barney McElholm professed himself puzzled as to why Shanahan was travelling from outside the city and shoplifting here.

He described his behaviour as “bizarre” and said he perhaps could understand someone stealing the sandwiches if they were physically hungry, “particularly at the present time,” but this didn’t appear to be the case with Shanahan.

The judge ordered a three months prison sentence, suspended for two years plus a £12 Restitution Order for the two wraps.

Addressing the defendant, District Judge McElholm commented: “If you want to come to the city, you are going to have to stop stealing.”